On God?

Chapter 24

slight tw for blood during umbridge's detention

in which things go downhill.

"Your snake is here, by the way." Snape said after a few moments, and I looked up at him, raising an eyebrow.

"Really?" I asked, sitting up straighter and glancing around. "Where is he?"

"Curled up by a fire, no doubt." Snape said, sitting back down in his chair. "Collect him and go, I will let you know how my conversation with Professor Umbridge goes."

I nodded, standing up and glancing around. A cauldron burbled over a small fire, and by that fire, lay a small yellow and light brown shape.

"You suck, you know that?" I murmured, picking him up gently as he sighed contently.

"I jussst finishhhed digesssting a vvvery juicccy rat." He hissed, burrowing into my chest. "Vvvery tasssty."

"Gross, I don't need to know about your eating habits." I laughed, turning to corner to the Slytherin common room wall. "Salazar."

"Blair, we heard about what happened." Daphne called from where she was sitting along with the others. "But we wanted to hear it from you."

"What exactly did you hear?" I sighed, sitting down next to her, absently petting Beelzebub.

"That you and Potter argued with Umbridge, that you cursed at her, made several witty remarks, and got sent out of the room." Theo interrupted Daphne as she began to talk, glancing at me.

"Is it true?" Draco asked haughtily. "I heard you and Saint Potter got detention for the rest of the week."

"Wow, word sure travels fast around here." I muttered. "Also, is the...the calling by last names a British thing? There wasn't much of it back in America."

"Well, is it true?" Pansy butt in from where she was sitting next to Draco, his arm around her shoulders.

"Yep, it's all true." I said, rolling my eyes. "I talked to Snape, he'll try to get me out of the detention though."

"Why would you yell at her though?" Draco asked, arm dropping from Pansy's shoulders and leaning forward. "You don't really think...He's back....do you?"

I glanced up at him with a frown. "What, do you not know? I would've figured your daddy would've said something."

The entire group stiffened and Draco shifted, looking uncomfortable. "He...he hasn't mentioned anything. But...there were a lot more people coming in and out of the manor during the holiday."

The whole group went quiet, the only noise coming from the crackling green fire next to us.

The topic of the conversation was dropped from that moment, lightening significantly when I introduced Beelzebub to the group. For the most part, they thought he was cute and gave him head pats.

Pansy was afraid of him. Pft, shocker. Eventually we got started on our homework, which was a lot harder than I had thought it was. Jesus, even math wasn't this complicated. A plus side of Hogwarts, no math! But given that I had absolutely no previous knowledge of magic or magical education....I was completely lost.

"Er...Ilvermorny had a lot more...hands on practice. No essays or things of that sort." I said, trying to find a good excuse why I struggled so much.

"Lucky. That's all it seems to be here." Blaise sighed, falling back into the sofa. "Well, it's getting late. Almost ten, and Draco and I still haven't done our nightly-"

"Shut it, Zabini. You don't need to tell everyone." Draco hissed, his ears burning crimson. Blaise shot him a pointed look before leaning over and whispering loudly; "Face masks."